Iraq army 'making steady progress' in Tikrit

The Iraqi army, pro-government militias, and dozens of Iranian revolutionary guards have made steady progress on the third day of an offensive against the Islamic State group (IS, formerly known as Isis) in Tikrit.

An Iraqi field commander said intelligence officers had spotted weak spots in IS defences, which will allow for the army to make a breakthrough in the battle.

Gaps in the defences

Special Forces commander Brigadier General Mahdi Abdallah said that around nine kilometres of land had been recaptured by the army in and around north and east Tikrit.

"This includes desert and residential areas, which IS withdrew from on Tuesday morning because of intense shelling and gunfire," he said.

"[Advances are] good so far, but not enough."

Airstrikes and artillery are believed to have killed 50 militants before the Iraqi army directly confronted the IS group.

"The US air force has provided the troops on the ground with clear images and information on militant positions, allowing us to direct 180 rockets on these positions and cut the city's communications and internet after the attack began. This puts IS in a difficult situation," said Abdallah.

Operations in the Tikrit suburbs of al-Dour and al-Alam, and the neighbouring city of al-Awja, have led to the army capturing the Allas oil field.

This has been under IS control and is capable of producing 7,000 barrels of oil a day, which has helped to shore up the extremist group's finances.

Advances made 

"So far we have been successful, despite the failure to lure IS into open areas - but we will enter their territory and wage a war of attrition in which we will crush their forces before we start the steady large-scale attack," the military commander said.

"We will move from district to district in the city without regard for the time scale of the mission."

An al-Araby al-Jadeed correspondent said that fighting aorund Tikrit's city limits is intermittent and a distance of two kilometres separates the Iraqi army from IS fighters.

Air raids and rocket fire are ongoing and explosions can be heard across the city.

IS have announced they will fight until 'victory or martyrdom'.

Nine civilians, including three children, have so far been killed in the bombardment, according to local sources.

Civilians affected

Hundreds of Tikrit residents with family members stuck in the besieged city have gathered to find out about their loved ones.

Tikrit residents say that IS have moved their headquarters in Tikrit several times during the past few days, and are now based in the city centre due to heavy shelling of the suburbs.

Locals say that IS has arrested people for spreading news that the group is preparing to retreat.

IS have instead announced they will fight until "victory or martyrdom".

'No one seems to care'

"We want to get out, we are slowly dying. Nine people died today, maybe it will be us being buried tomorrow. No one seems to care about us," said one resident named Ahmed speaking via Skype from Tikrit.

"There are snipers everywhere, anyone who tries to escape the city is killed. Neither IS nor the government forces have shown any mercy towards us.

"We are trapped, we should have left ages ago but we have been forced to stay because our financial situation."

Speaking at a press conference, Iraqi president Fuad Masum said therehad been significant progress "in the ongoing operations to retake Salah al-Din province by the Iraqi army, police, pro-government militias and the Peshmerga".

He said that the army was yet to set a date for an offensive of Iraq's second city Mosul, also held by IS.

Mohammad al-Saadi, a member of the Iraqi parliament's defence and security committee, said Washington has set a timetable spanning more than two years. "The Americans are very patient," he said.

"We have asked them for air support and to leave the rest to the Iraqis, which is what has happened. We hope they will continue to only support Iraqi forces."

This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.